I've always felt that if I ever got cynical, I would have to stop making music because I'd just be poisoning the air.

Well, everything about singing, I learned from busking. Everything I learned about songwriting, I learned from busking.

The muse holds no appointments. You can never call on it. I don't understand people who get up at 9 o'clock in the morning, put on the coffee and sit down to write.

My dad was quiet, angry, shut down. So my thing is: I express everything that's there. I want to get it all out.

And for some reason, when I'm sad, I do listen to Leonard Cohen, I do listen to Joni Mitchell. I do find myself going to the music that's actually reflecting my mood, as opposed to sticking on Motown, which might actually bring my mood up.

And I've always loved playing solo.

As a busker, one thing that does not work is self-consciousness. A busker needs to be working. A busker needs to shed all ego and get down to work. Play your songs, play them well, earn your money, and don't get in people's way.